GENERAL/PERSONNEL:
So full list of practice roster updates: New injuries Cobb (foot) Dafney (knee) Wyatt (possible concussion). Released Wirtel, O. Mitchell. Added Dexter Williams Herman [Osirus Mitchell was waived with an injury designation (quad). Mitchell looked pretty interesting but injury at the wrong time can derail a prospects chances. An injury settlement is probably forthcoming. Cap melt continues, though it sounds like it will be minor. TGR]
If I had to guess, I think this is a meeting with LaFleur and the vets who will be off on Friday night. Group includes: Dillon Jones Clark Watkins Campbell Stokes Lowry Reed Lewis Amos Jaire Cobb Preston Gary Rodgers Lazard, (and Douglas). Herman [So, Love will have the entire starting offensive line, but none of his top 3 wideouts (Lazard, Watkins, and Cobb – but he will have Doubs, so nothing more need be said) and also he will be without his starting running backs. On defense, the presumed starters on the line and at OLB will be out. The ILB will be without Devondre Campbell, so fans should see Quay Walker, Wilborn and Barnes, amongst others. Savage won’t play due to injury and Amos will be held out.]
After another winning day by the Packers’ D, Aaron Rodgers was asked when the offense is going to turn the tables. He said: “I don’t know if we’re going to.” Demovsky
Bears K Cairo Santos detailing how terrible the Soldier Field turf was yesterday for Family Fest is something he’s become used to. Makes a point to work on rough fields in the offseason to help prepare himself. Kaitlin Sharkey – retweeted by Aaron Nagler, who can’t imagine why the Bears want to move.
QUARTERBACKS/WIDE RECEIVERS:
Two-minute drill for the 1s. Checkdown Jones Incomplete to Doubs Screen Jones that Reed is all over Vernon Scott pick on a deep shot to Watkins. Herman [This is with AR at quarterback. TGR]
Alexander falls down, Lazard beats him deep and Rodgers is on the money. Spofford
Aaron Rodgers strikes back with the next play, hitting Allen Lazard deep down the right side against Jaire Alexander. Lazard ran a stutter-and-go, and got wide open when Alexander slipped. Almost never see that from the Pro Bowl corner. Wood [Same as the Spofford tweet. So, did Jaire just slip or did he slip due to the stutter and go? IDK. TGR]
Nice block by Lazard to spring Watkins on a quick smoke screen. 2) Jordan Love tries to get greedy with a throw downfield on a bootleg. Should have taken the flat route. Instead ball is picked by a leaping Shawn Davis. Herman [I don’t know, it’s an INT but I like Love pushing boundaries. Lazard’s block was on Rasul Douglas. TGR]
Jordan Love might’ve learned a thing from Aaron Rodgers. He just rolled left to buy time with a free play, and got a deep shot to RB Tyler Goodson in the end zone. Something we wouldn’t have seen him do past couple seasons. Wood [This play is also in the RB section, but this is an interesting take. TGR]
In that two minute session with Love at QB, Love hit Toure for a nice gain, but Toure lateraled, leading to a fumble which was recovered by the offense. A coach lectured Toure afterwards. Then Love hit Goodson though per Huber Goodson admitted it might have been OPI. You can read Bill Huber’s article here. It is good. TGR
Sammy Watkins beat Eric Stokes down the left side, but Aaron Rodgers missed him. Vernon Scott picks it and gets both get in bounds, an impressive play. Backup safeties having a good day. Wood [So, Watkins shows up a little. TGR]
Fake end around works well as Rodgers finds a leaping Juwann Winfree for a nice completion. Shawn Davis in coverage. Rodgers had high praise for Winfree yesterday. Herman
Phenomenal grab by Winfree on a high heater from Rodgers roughly 25 yards downfield during team. Winfree is having another strong camp. Nagler
Doubs: Nothing to report!
RUNNING BACKS:
Tyler Goodson with a 23-yard TD from Love in 2-minute. Going for 2 and win, Baylor runs it in. Herman [I could have put this under QB.]
It’s an idea (Jones and Dillon on the field more together) Jones said he and Dillon have lobbied for with Matt LaFleur, and not just recently. Wood
Tyler Goodson has some of the best open field moves on the team. Just put a nasty shake and cut on Shemar. Shemar may have still made the play if there was tackling but it was a sick move nonetheless. Herman [I saw that ability to cut at practice, along with some pretty good burst out of the cut. TGR]
Patrick Taylor had a drop. Huber
Brian Gutekunst says the ability to elevate PS players during the season gives him more flexibility to keep the best 53 players regardless of position, rather than feeling a need to get an exact number of players at certain position. Wood [One scenario I first heard from Andy Herman would be to keep just Dillon and Jones on the 53 at cutdowns (if Kylin Hill isn’t ready) and slide a couple of Patrick Taylor, Goodson, and/or Baylor onto the practice squad. Since the team can elevate PS players three times each, that would allow Hill to start the season on PUP while those three RBs provide backup coverage for 6 to 8 weeks. It is doable. It will cost something to continually elevate PS guys, and it may develop that the Packers will need to elevate PS guys at different positions due to injuries and the like. Of coursed, they could just keep Taylor as the third back. TGR]
TIGHT ENDS:
Couple nice completions from Rodgers to Deguara. Herman [Deguara is quietly having a very good camp. TGR]
Marcedes Lewis blocks Preston to spring Aaron Jones for a nice run. Huber
OFFENSIVE LINE:
Great pass pro by Josh Myers on Kenny Clark. 2) Rashan Gary just went right through Royce Newman. No resistance, pure power from 52. Better from Newman on the next rep but coverage forces 12 to scramble. 3) Packers o-line is feisty this morning. Jones, Dillon and Taylor all with nice runs up the middle. Offense starting strong today. 4) Zach Tom back in at RT now with Newman at RG and line opens another big hole this time for Dillon. 5) Offensive line must have heard all the talk about the dl. Really nice blocking to spring Jones for a big run up the middle on the first play. 6) Another day of Yosh – JRJ – Myers – Hanson – Newman Herman [Myers starting to get positive mentions regularly, and against ones. Looks like Newman was at RT against Gary, but it’s not entirely clear. OL started Hanson/Newman but Tom was inserted at RT and Newman moved to RG. Was there another change? TGR]
Zach Tom in at RT with Royce Newman kicked inside to RG after only a few snaps with the 1s. Wood
Aaron Rodgers’ hard count draws a free play with an offside from the defense. Play ends in a deep-shot incompletion, but Rodgers slaps fives with Yosh Nijman and Jake Hanson for holding their ground. Good moment for a struggling offensive line. Wood
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst wouldn’t say whether David Bakhtiari and/or Elgton Jenkins would remain on PUP to start the season (and therefore miss the first four games) but said: “They’re both doing really well, both have a shot to play early in the season.” Demovsky
Brian Gutekunst says it would be “ideal” for David Bakhtiari to return in camp to be ready for Week 1 in Minnesota, but not necessary. He IS NOT resigned to Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins starting the season on PUP. Still, both will need a “ramp-up period” to be ready to play. Wood
Caleb Jones in at left tackle with the twos. Hodkiewicz
DEFENSIVE LINE:
Two mammoth men doing battle. Caleb Jones vs Jonathan Ford. Ford wins this round and sheds the power block from Jones to make the stop at the line. Fun battle and big play by Ford. 2) Nice job by Caleb Jones handling a pretty nice spin move by Enagbare. Herman
Heflin doesn’t let Dillon get out for a screen, thereby blowing up the play, and AR has to throw it away. Huber [Heflin has been good against the run while playing with the twos. He doesn’t get mentioned because the twos tend to play on the south end of the field, far from where the media is seated. TGR
LINEBACKERS:
Meanwhile De’Vondre Campbell runs stride for stride down the field with Josiah Deguara and bats away the ball on a deep wheel. Big time lb play by 59. Herman
DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Jordan Love tries to split double coverage between Shawn Davis and Kiondre Thomas while rolling right, but can’t get his pass over Davis. His first pick of the day. A flag down in defensive backfield though. Wood
Young safeties showing out today. Two picks for Shawn Davis and one for Vernon Scott. Davis picked Love and Rodgers. Needs to pick Etling to complete the set. 2) SJC shuts down Amari on a deep out. And then SJC shuts down Hyman on a deep out. 2) Now Rodgers fires high for Doubs and it’s picked by Shawn Davis. His second pick of the day already. 3) Absolute blanket coverage from Stokes on Winfree on a deep ball. Would have liked to see Stokes get his head turned sooner but there was no separation. Herman [Time to show, today and on Friday. That said, the interceptions sounded more like errant throws than great plays by the safeties, though Scott getting his feet down drew a specific comment. And Schneidman below notes otherwise. TGR]
Strong showings today by safeties fighting for third spot. Vernon Scott just picked off Rodgers to end two-minute drill. Great read by Scott to come over on go ball down left sideline for Watkins thrown too far. Davis picked off Rodgers on deflection off Doubs’ hands over middle. Schneidman
Brian Gutekunst on Rico Gafford: “We really like the athlete. …In his limited opportunities in the NFL, he’s been a good (special) teams player.” Hodkiewicz [That’s a weird way to phrase it: how do the Packers like the football player? TGR]
Huber thinks that against SF, Gafford and Jean-Charles will start on the perimeter with Nixon in the slot. He doesn’t mention Ento, Kiondre Thomas or Vaughn, but fans will see them later. TGR
SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Packers released LS Steven Wirtel, best remembered for being in the middle of the blocked punt vs. SF in last year’s playoffs. Their search for a consistent LS continues. Wood
Interestingly, final cuts won’t bolster the long snapper market too much. Only three teams have two snappers. Huber
Amari looks so much better returning punts in camp this year. Confident. Decisive. Getting up field and finding good return lanes. Competition between him and Doubs could come down to the end at PR. Herman
O’Donnell is punting them the width of the field and, perhaps after some prodding from Tonyan, kicks one out of Nitschke Field into the parking lot. Big cheer. Nagler
When asked by Aaron Nagler whether working out all the specialists was for his emergency list or to make a change (presumably at long snapper), GM Brian Gutekunst said: “A little bit of both.”